Expanding access to paid family leave is part of Marco’s pro-family, pro-growth agenda. The status quo too often forces workers — especially new mothers — to quit their job permanently when they need time away from it, making it harder to return to work one day.
Done right, policies that encourage paid family leave can help Americans keep their jobs while focusing on their most important responsibilities: welcoming new life, caring for an ailing loved one, or supporting family members deploying to serve our nation.
Democrats like Hillary Clinton believe outdated, costly federal mandates coupled with new tax increases are the right approach, but we can do better in the 21st Century. Another one-size-fits-all burden from Washington is wrong for America’s diverse, dynamic workforce and middle-class families, especially when our country is struggling under the weight of Obamacare and other new costly regulations. The big government approach to paid family leave will cause employers to end or reduce more generous plans and make it harder for women to enter the workforce, while creating an expensive new entitlement. Efforts to encourage paid family leave should support workers — not hold them back.
To help businesses expand access to paid family leave, Marco is proposing:
Tax Relief for Employers Providing Paid Family Leave
The plan: A 25% non-refundable tax credit for businesses that voluntarily offer at least four weeks of paid family leave, limited to twelve weeks of leave and $4,000 per employee each year.
Marco’s plan is:
•Adaptable to all employee arrangements, including part-time work.
•Available for new parents; caretakers of sick parents, spouses, and children; employees with serious illnesses; and military families.
•Based on the Strong Families Act, introduced by Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Angus King (I-ME).
Marco’s proposal is part of his broader effort to strengthen middle-class families and grow the economy.
For instance, he also supports proposals to expand workplace flexibility by allowing employers to provide workers with a choice between receiving monetary compensation or paid leave for working overtime....
